Member of 10th Street Gang Pleads Guilty to RICO Charge

BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Daniel Colon, a/k/a Drunk Danny, 28, of Buffalo, New York, pleaded guilty to a Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organizations (RICO) charge before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Tripi, who is handling the case, stated that the defendant was a member of the 10th Street Gang. On October 17, 2009, Colon participated in the shooting of an associate of a rival gang. The defendant and others drove up alongside the associate in the vicinity of Plymouth and Pennsylvania Street on the West Side of Buffalo and another 10th Street member shot the victim. The shooting was in retaliation for the August 11, 2009 murder of 10th Street Gang member Eric Morrow, which was committed by members of the Cheko’s Crew/7th Street Gang enterprise.
In addition, on January 24, 2010, the defendant and other 10th Street Gang members shot an injured an individual they believed was a member of the rival 7th Street Gang. Later on January 24, 2010, the defendant and other 10th Street members forcibly stole property, including a cellular phone, from two victims on West Avenue, and, in the course of demanding property, another 10th Street Gang member, who was with the defendant, displayed a firearm.
The defendant is among forty four 10th Street Gang members and associates charged in this case. A total of 29 have been convicted.
The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Investigators of the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Michael Cerretto; the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commission Daniel Derenda; and special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian P. Boetig.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 23, 2014, at 1:00 p.m. before Judge Arcara.

More Than Two Dozen Arrested in Crackdown on Evansville-Area Criminal Organization

EVANSVILLE—United States Attorney Joseph H. Hogsett, joined by Vanderburgh County Prosecutor Nicholas Hermann, Sheriff Eric Williams, and Evansville Police Chief Billy Bolin, announced this afternoon the early-morning arrest of 22 Evansville-area residents in a city-wide crackdown on drug trafficking and other gang-related activities. This joint federal-local investigation is part of the U.S. Attorney’s ongoing Violent Crime Initiative.
“The allegations in this case describe a dangerous gang that for years peddled violence and drugs across the city of Evansville,” Hogsett said. “These charges also serve as a reminder that if you are involved in organized crime in this city, if you assist these groups in any way, you too will wake up one morning soon to the sound of law enforcement at your door.”
Today’s arrests center around a local criminal street gang that operated under the name 300 Wag Block, which is a reference to the 300 block of Waggoner Avenue in Evansville. According to the federal indictment, the gang has been responsible for numerous acts of violence and the local distribution of drugs, including cocaine. The indictment describes a complex series of code words that were used by gang members to describe their criminal activities.
The federal indictment alleges a pattern of criminal behavior that stretched over four years. All told, eight defendants have been charged with offenses that include conspiring to distribute crack cocaine and multiple counts of possessing and distributing drugs, as well as numerous federal firearm offenses related to illegally possessing firearms in the course of these drug trafficking activities.
The indictment also alleges specific instances of gang-related violence in Vanderburgh County. This includes the June 2012 assault of an individual in a local parking lot, the firing of weapons at individuals on Florida Street in October 2013, and a series of recorded gang meetings that took place late last year. The indictment describes the collective criminal histories of the defendants, which include multiple local convictions related to violent acts and drug trafficking.
Those eight defendants charged federally include:

• Maleek Davis, a/k/a “Skinny” or “Pluto Dollas,” age 21
• Mykale Davis, a/k/a “Kales,” age 22
• Tiackquien Douglas, a/k/a “TT,” age 21
• Gerald Butler, a/k/a “Boogie,” age 23
• Luther Lawton, a/k/a “Lut Lut” or “LL,” age 21
• Duwan McKinney, a/k/a “Mula” or “Shorty,” age 27
• Lusta Johnson, age 21
• D’Mariea Fox, age 23

Defendant Fox remains a fugitive at this time. In addition, 11 defendants arrested this morning face state charges for their alleged roles in the group, while three state defendants remain fugitives at this time.
This case was the result of a collaborative investigation involving the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force; and the United States Marshals Service, as well as the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office and the Evansville Police Department.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew P. Brookman, who is prosecuting the federal case for the government, all the defendants could be sentenced to decades in federal prison. Due to extensive criminal histories, some of the defendants could face life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Under federal law, the defendants would be required to serve at least 85 percent of their sentence within a correctional facility if they are found guilty.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Member of 10th Street Gang Sentenced on RICO Conspiracy Charge

BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Melvin Medina, 29, of Buffalo, New York, who was convicted of Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy, was sentenced to 78 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Tripi, who is handling the case, stated that the defendant was a member of the 10th Street Gang. Between 2000 and 2010, Medina possessed firearms and sold crack cocaine and marijuana in the territory controlled by the 10th Street Gang as a part of his participation in the gang’s activities.
The defendant is among 44 10th Street Gang members and associates charged in this case. A total of 28 have been convicted.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of investigators of the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Michael Cerretto; the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commission Daniel Derenda; and special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian P. Boetig.

Almighty Imperial Gangsters Member Convicted of Murder and Violent Crime Offenses

Richard Reyes, a member of the Almighty Imperial Gangsters, has been convicted at trial for his role in violent acts as a member of a criminal street gang that operated in Northwest Indiana and is accused of engaging in drug trafficking and acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder, and robbery.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney David Capp of the Northern District of Indiana made the announcement.
Reyes, 41, of Hammond, Indiana, was convicted by a federal jury on January 24, 2014, for his role in the murder of rival Latin King gang member Rene Alonzo on September 16, 2007. According to evidence at trial, Reyes fatally shot Alonzo outside of the U.S. Bar in East Chicago. Reyes was convicted of conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity, conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana, and murder in aid of racketeering activity, which each carry a maximum penalty of life in prison; and murder resulting from the use and carrying of a firearm during a crime of violence, which carries a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years in prison consecutive to any other sentence and a maximum of life in prison.
Reyes was among 24 individuals charged in this investigation, and 22 have pleaded guilty, including six men who pleaded guilty in January 2014. Those charged are accused of having participated collectively in 14 murders and eight attempted murders from 2002 to 2012 as part of their criminal enterprise. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at trial.
On January 13, 2014, Salvador Chavez, 34, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Chief Judge Philip P. Simon in the Northern District of Indiana to conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity.
On January 10, 2014, Jason Medina, aka Burns, 30; Edward Raye Serna, 34; and Armando Jose Velasquez, aka Money, age 26, all of East Chicago, Indiana, pleaded guilty before Chief Judge Simon. Medina pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity; murder resulting from the use and carrying of a firearm during a crime of violence; and attempted murder in aid of racketeering activity, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Medina admitted that he used a firearm to murder Guadalupe Trevino on July 24, 2005, and attempted to murder a victim on June 6, 2011. Sentencing for Medina is scheduled for June 19, 2014. Edward Serna pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity and attempted murder in aid of racketeering activity and admitted to his participation in the same attempted murder on June 6, 2011. Sentencing for Edward Serna is also set for June 19, 2014. Velasquez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity, murder resulting from the use and carrying of a firearm during a crime of violence, and attempted murder in aid of racketeering activity. Velasquez admitted he used a firearm on December 3, 2011, when he attempted to murder a victim in aid of racketeering activity. Sentencing for Velasquez is scheduled for June 6, 2014.
On January 3, 2014, Julian Guillermo Serna, aka Big Ju, 24, and Vincent Garza, aka Chente, 22, pleaded guilty before Chief Judge Simon. Julian Serna pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity and to murder resulting from the use and carrying of a firearm during a crime of violence. Julian Serna admitted that he used a firearm to murder Mario Soriano on March 25, 2008. Sentencing for Julian Serna is scheduled for July 25, 2014. Garza pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity and two counts of homicide in aid of racketeering activity, which each carry a maximum penalty of life in prison. Garza admitted that he participated in the murder of Michael Sessum and Miguel Mejias on June 3, 2008. Sentencing for Garza is scheduled for July 24, 2104.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the East Chicago Police Department; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Gary Police Department, the Hammond Police Department, and the Lake County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Nozick of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana and Trial Attorney Bruce Hegyi of the Criminal Division’s Capital Case Section.

MS-13 Gang Leader Pleads Guilty to Racketeering

Earlier today, Francisco Ponce, a leader of La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS-13 street gang (MS-13), pleaded guilty at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, New York, to racketeering, including predicate acts relating to the February 15, 2009 armed robbery of the Pollo Campero restaurant in Lindenhurst, New York, and the September 12, 2009 armed robbery of Los Hermanos Grocery in Brentwood, New York, which resulted in the murder of Miguel Peralta, an employee of that grocery. When sentenced, Ponce faces up to life in prison.
The guilty plea was announced by Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and George Venizelos, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office.
“Ponce was in charge of the MS-13 'brand' in New York and sought to strengthen it with acts of mayhem. Seeking funds to fuel their violent lifestyle in New York and abroad, he and his cohorts robbed and terrorized Long Island neighborhoods. Miguel Peralta fell victim to their thirst for blood and money when he unknowingly walked in on a robbery at the store at which he worked,” stated United States Attorney Lynch. “This office and our law enforcement partners will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute gang members, especially those who terrorize our communities and, as demonstrated in the tragic murder of Mr. Peralta, kill innocent victims.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Venizelos stated, “Rather than function as a productive member of society, the defendant instead chose a life of crime, intent on spreading fear and violence throughout our community. The FBI is committed to removing these violent criminals from our streets. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to dismantle MS-13 and bring to justice every gang member who victimizes the public.”
According to court filings and facts presented during the plea proceeding, Ponce and two other MS-13 members, Joyser Velasquez, also known as “Baby Boy,”¹ and Carlos Chicas, also known as “Flaco,” carried out the September 12, 2009 armed robbery of Los Hermanos Grocery and the murder of Miguel Peralta. Shortly before midnight, Velasquez and Chicas, who were armed with semi-automatic handguns, entered the store while Ponce waited as the getaway driver. Peralta, who was sweeping a storeroom in the back of the store, heard the commotion, entered the front of the store, and came face to face with Velasquez, who shot him once in the side. Peralta then ran down an aisle where he was confronted by Chicas, who shot him in the head. The robbers then rifled through the cash register, took cash and checks, and fled to the awaiting getaway car that was driven by Ponce.
Several months prior to the Peralta murder, Ponce, Velasquez, and two other MS- 13 members, Wilmer Granillo, also known as “Chele,” and Freddy Fuentes-Gonzalez, also known as “Pitufo,”² committed an armed robbery of the Pollo Campero restaurant in Lindenhurst, New York. Specifically, on February 15, 2009, Velasquez—who was armed with a semi-automatic handgun—Granillo,and Fuentes-Gonzalez entered the Pollo Campero restaurant wearing hooded sweatshirts and ski masks, held the employees at gunpoint, and forced the manager to open the safe by holding a knife to his throat. The MS-13 members stole approximately $15,000 from the safe and then fled to the car, where Ponce was waiting to drive them away.
Ponce’s conviction further demonstrates the strong connection between members of the MS-13 gang in New York, El Salvador, and elsewhere. As set forth in prior court filings and testimony introduced during two recent MS-13 racketeering trials, between 2009 and 2010, Ponce was the New York leader of “The Program,” an initiative by the MS-13’s leadership in El Salvador to exercise greater control over the international MS-13 enterprise, including the MS- 13 cliques and members in New York, enforce discipline and adherence to the gang’s rules, and cause more money to be sent to MS-13 members in El Salvador and other parts of Central America. Ponce functioned as a liaison between the MS-13 clique leaders in New York and the gang’s hierarchy in El Salvador, organizing “universal meetings,” which were meetings attended by the leaders of the New York cliques of the MS-13, and collecting money from the New York cliques to purchase firearms and ammunition, which were used in furtherance of MS-13’s violent agenda and to send money to gang leaders in El Salvador.
Chicas and Granillo, two of Ponce’s co-conspirators in the Peralta murder and Pollo Campero robbery, respectively, are believed to have fled the jurisdiction and remain fugitives.³ The FBI requests that anyone with information regarding their whereabouts telephone (212) 384-1000. Chicas and Granillo should be considered armed and dangerous.
Ponce’s conviction is the latest in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of the MS-13, a violent international street gang comprised primarily of immigrants from El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala. With numerous branches, or “cliques,” the MS-13 is the largest street gang on Long Island. Since 2002, more than 200 MS-13 members, including more than two dozen clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York. More than 100 of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges. Since 2010 alone, this office has convicted more than 30 members of the MS-13 on charges relating to their participation in one or more murders. These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force, comprising agents and officers of the FBI, Nassau County Police Department, Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, Suffolk County Probation, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department, Rockville Centre Police Department, and Suffolk County Police Department.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John J. Durham, Raymond A. Tierney, and Carrie N. Capwell.
The Defendant:
FRANCISCO PONCE (“Spoiler”)
Age: 31
Residence: Brentwood, NY
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 12-063 (JFB)
¹ Velasquez is in custody pending trial. The charges in the indictment against Velasquez are merely allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
² Fuentes-Gonzalez is in custody. He pled guilty and is facing life imprisonment when sentenced.
³ The charges in the indictment against Chicas and Granillo are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Reginald Chance, biker in Manhattan SUV attack, arraigned on gang assault charge

MANHATTAN - The man accused of smashing the window of an SUV during a violent attack against the driver by a group of motorcyclists in Manhattan was arraigned yesterday.
Prosecutors say Reginald Chance played a key role in the beating of Alexian Lien. Although Chance may not have actually hit Lien, prosecutors say smashing the window open set off a chain of events that led to the assault.
Police say the couple in the SUV was out celebrating their anniversary with their toddler when the attack happened. A man from Passaic has been charged with sparking the attack by allegedly stopping his bike short in front of the SUV on purpose.
Chance was arraigned on gang assault and other felony charges.

Dozens of Members of Violent Street Gang Charged with Narcotics and Weapons Violation Following Joint Investigation Known as Operation Thumbs Down

LOS ANGELES—Over 800 hundred law enforcement officers and agents served dozens of arrest and search warrants this morning in Operation Thumbs Down, an 18-month investigation that targeted members and associates of the Rollin’ 30s Harlem Crips, a South Los Angeles street gang that ranks among the Los Angeles Police Department’s top targeted street gangs, announced André Birotte Jr., the United States Attorney in Los Angeles; Bill Lewis, the Assistant Director in Charge of FBI in Los Angeles; Charlie Beck, the Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department; and Mike Feuer, the City Attorney in Los Angeles.
Thirty-five defendants currently charged with federal and state violations are in custody following this morning’s Operation Thumbs Down, an investigation initiated in 2012 to identify and target high-level members of the Rollin 30s Harlem Crips, a gang known for violence in the community it claims as its territory. Several remaining defendants charged at either the state or federal level were already in custody on unrelated charges or are considered fugitives currently being sought by task force members. The investigation was dubbed Thumbs Down by the task force in reference to hand gestures used by this gang, including two thumbs pointed upward, representing the “H” in the word “Harlem.”
The Rollin 30s Crips is a known multi-generational violent gang that operates primarily in South Los Angeles and has ties to other gangs with whom they are known to have violent disputes. The Rollin’ 30s is composed of three factions, known as “cliques” or “sets,” identified as The Avenues, Denker Park, and 39th Street. Each clique claims different geographical territories within the gang’s overall claimed territory, and has its own respective leaders or "shotcallers," who direct the gang’s criminal activity. Law enforcement estimates there are between 700 and 1,000 Rollin 30s gang members. During Operations Thumbs Down, task force members targeted these “shotcallers” within the Rollin’ 30s’ criminal enterprise.
Twenty-one defendants were named in federal indictments returned by a grand jury in United States District Court in Los Angeles. The federal indictments charge the defendants with a variety of narcotics and weapons violations, including: possession of cocaine base (“crack”) with intent to distribute; conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”); felon in possession of a firearm; maintaining drug-involved premises; and unlicensed dealing in firearms.
Those charged federally are listed below:

• Stephen Bayliss, aka “Iceberg”—30, currently in federal custody
• Michael Byars, aka “Wanetti”—55, Inglewood
• Jesus De La Hoya, aka “Jesse”—40, Mira Loma
• Anthoney Edwards, aka “Three Leaf”—23, currently in state custody
• Frank Fisher, aka “Boons”—23, Los Angeles
• Rayeisha Glenn, aka “Ray Ray”—35, Los Angeles
• Kenneth Green, aka “Gin”—36, Los Angeles
• Kevin Green, aka “Young Watt”—31, Los Angeles
• Jovan Harris, aka “Headache”—34, Los Angeles
• Clavern Luckett, aka “Uncle D”—38, Los Angeles
• Gary Luckett, aka “Uncle Gary”—39, Los Angeles
• Kelly Martin, aka “Cartoon”—43, Compton
• Don Mosley, aka “Whino”—34, currently in state custody
• Edward Norwood, aka “Polo”—33, Los Angeles
• Brandon Robertson, aka “BK”—31, Los Angeles
• Alan Ross, aka “Big Choo”—37, Los Angeles
• Darlene Sebatta—38, Los Angeles
• Ernest Sluch, aka “E-Rocc”—47, Los Angeles
• Jason Thurton, aka “CT”—35, Long Beach
• Emerie Tims, aka “Mac”—34, Long Beach
• Moses Williams, aka “Termite”—34, Los Angeles

Several additional cases were filed with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, many of whom are in custody following this morning’s operation. In addition to the arrests made this morning, task force members also served 34 federal search warrants and seized a variety of firearms and quantities of narcotics. During the investigation, the task force augmented its suppression efforts by partnering with agencies in order to address long-term community stability. The Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office is pursuing civil actions to include property abatement, evictions, and case conferences for gang-controlled locations. In addition, the Office of the Inspector General for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD-OIG) is addressing violations related to Section 8 Housing, which will include the removal of tenants.
Crime statistics indicate there have been 29 homicides within the past five years in the gang’s territory, which incorporates the neighborhood between Jefferson Avenue, Martin Luther King Avenue, Normandie Avenue, and Crenshaw Avenue. In addition, approximately 1100 robberies and 1075 assaults have been reported in the 1.5 square mile area that comprises the gang’s claimed territory. The Rollin 30s Harlem Crips is also suspected of committing a series of residential or “knock-knock” burglaries, referred to by the gang as “floccin.” Police departments in multiple counties throughout Southern California are investigating members of the Rollin 30s Harlem Crips in connection with these robberies.
Throughout the investigation and prior to today, task force members arrested 60 Rollin’ 30s gang members and associates for state violations, seized 32 firearms, and seized in excess of 10 kilograms of rock cocaine.
Nineteen of the 21 federal defendants are in custody and two are considered fugitives. Three of the federal defendants were already incarcerated on unrelated charges and are expected to be transferred to federal custody.
Many of the federal defendants face mandatory-minimum prison terms ranging from five to 10 years, depending on the quantities of narcotics alleged and individual criminal histories, and maximum penalties of 20 or 30 years in federal prison. Federal defendants arrested today will make an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles this afternoon.
This case is the result of an investigation by members of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Task Force on Violent Gangs, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Los Angeles Police Department; the United States Attorney’s Office; and the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office.
Multiple agencies assisted the task force during this investigation and today’s operation, including the United States Secret Service; the Department of Child and Family Services; the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development-Office of Inspector General; the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Los Angeles County Department of Probation; and agencies that participate on the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Agency (HIDTA).
The federal defendants will be prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office. The defendants arrested for violations of California state law will be prosecuted by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Additional information about violent street gangs across America can be found at http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/2011-national-gang-threat-assessment
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in court.
Media Contacts:

• Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Pelham: 213 894-0610
• FBI Press Relations: 310 996-3343